Bathrooms, lavatories, water closets and the like are commonly used at night when low levels of illumination are desirable, either for functional lighting, or for mood lighting such as for a relaxing bath. Although candles may provide nice mood lighting, they are not practical for use as a “nightlight”. Likewise, a standard low wattage nightlight does not provide much in the way of elegant mood lighting. Furthermore, typical nightlights are rather unattractive protrusions from an outlet in the bathroom (or lavatory, etc.). Thus there is a desire for novel bathroom lighting that is both unobtrusive and able to provide functional lighting in a way that is attractive enough to enhance the ambiance of the bathroom. The present invention approaches this challenge through unobtrusive illumination of plumbing fixtures in the bathroom, wherein the term “fixtures” is intended to include such items as water faucet spouts, their controls (handle, knob, etc.), vessels (sink bowls and bathtubs or portions thereof including trim), toilet flush valve handles, and the like.
Translucent or transparent sink bowls are known. For example, a Luxaris website (www.luxaris.com/vanity_glass_bowls_vessel_sinks.asp, Jun. 30, 2005) offers a broad range of glass sink bowls in various translucent colors and patterns as well as clear glass. For example, Tiffany Marble Molds International, Inc. (www.tiffanymarble.com/formulae.html; Aug. 27, 2004) advertises a “translucent Tiff-Onyx sink bowl set in a Tiffany Granite countertop. A light mounted under this sink countertop combination results in a beautiful and unique night light by giving the sink a soft glow.” Neither company appears to offer guidance or apparatus to implement the suggested lighting.
Illumination of faucet or tap handles (controls) has taken several forms in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,691 (Gotch et al.; 1996), discloses a combination dispense tap and customer information display wherein the tap handle is made of light-transparent material that is illuminated by light that is transmitted from a hidden light source, which is attached on the outside of the tap body. In an alternative embodiment a remote spotlight shines on a reflective handle. Thus the control is illuminated, but not the associated spout, and the light source is attached outside of the spout and control.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,617 (Currie; 1996) discloses an illuminated fluid tap wherein fiber optic cables (20, 30) transmit light from a hidden remote source into a transparent/translucent plastic tap handle (50) and to an area beyond the tap outlet (spout) for illuminating the stream of fluid. Again the control is illuminated, but not the associated spout.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,330,592 (Kendrick; 1941) discloses a nozzle illuminating means wherein a light source is attached to a handle (control) and directs light through a light pipe to the end of a nozzle for lighting the area ahead of the nozzle. Neither the spout nor control are illuminated, and the light source is attached on an outer portion of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,740 (Gazard; 2004) discloses a door knob night light wherein a translucent or transparent door knob contains its own light source. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,570 (Littles; 1988) discloses an illuminated doorknob lock wherein the light source is contained in the doorknob, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,821 (Foreman; 1973) discloses an illuminated attachment for a lock-equipped door knob wherein the attachment contains the knob illuminating light source.
Other prior art discloses control lighting that uses light sources located remote from the lighted control. U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,223 (Liao et al.; 2003) discloses an integrated light transfer structure for providing halo and end illumination for a control switch assembly, wherein light sources (34) are hidden in a panel. A control housing (10) mounts on the panel over the light sources and conducts light to radiate throughout the control body and also out of a control knob (50). U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,075 (Susedik; 1976) discloses a doorknob illuminating device wherein a hidden light source uses a Lucite rod to transmit light to a Lucite doorknob. U.S. Pat. No. 2,682,251 (Neugass; 1951) discloses an illuminated knob wherein a transparent knob receives light piped in from behind. The knob is covered with an opaque metallic layer except for light-transmitting openings as desired, e.g., for illuminated lettering. Only a portion of the Neugass control is illuminated.
As noted above (e.g., Currie, '617; and Kendrick, '592), illumination for fluid outlets (spouts) is often in the form of light directed at or into the fluid stream or into the pouring area for lighting the receiver of the fluid emitted by the spout. This type of lighting dates back at least as far as 1873 as disclosed in the oil-can of U.S. Pat. No. 141,619 (Auld; 1873). The light source for such devices is generally located outside of a fixed mounting surface (such as a couniertop). An example of a spout that itself is lighted is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 2,477,984 (Jackson; 1946) which discloses an illuminated pouring spout for attachment on a bottle. The spout incorporates a decorative figure having a chamber therein provided with a light bulb, a battery and means whereby when the bottle is tipped to the pouring position the battery will contact the bulb and the decorative figure will be illuminated. It appears that the illuminated decorative figure is only a portion of the pouring spout.
None of the above prior art devices appear to provide much in the way of teaching about hidden illumination from within for a spout itself when the spout is fixedly attached to a surface (e.g., a counter).
It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method for illuminating plumbing fixtures, e.g., spouts and controls that are fixed in place, in a way that overcomes the limitations and defects of the prior art. In particular, it is an object to illuminate a water spout along with its associated control(s) by using one or more hidden light source(s). It is an object to illuminate plumbing fixtures with light that is transmitted through the material of the fixture(s) for illumination from within. It is an object to illuminate an entire spout and/or control (fixture) from within, particularly using a light source that is hidden behind the mounting surface of the fixture(s).